What Drives Productivity with Bruce Nichols

What Drives Productivity with Bruce Nichols

Bruce Nichols didn't plan on a career in HR. He planned on jumping out of planes for 25 years and retiring at Home Depot. Life had other ideas. After leaving the 82nd Airborne, Bruce fell into recruiting, then into HR leadership, and spent the next few decades inside some of the most complex business environments around, including a $2 billion private equity acquisition where he ended up standing in a pile of soot in a Brooks Brothers suit, learning the most important lesson of his career. Now a Partner at the Human Resources Consortium, Bruce sits down with Colleen to talk about what it actually takes to be a great recruiter, why HR needs to stop playing the policy police, and how understanding a P&L changes everything about how you lead people. Takeaways: * The best recruiters know the business as well as the business does. Deep domain fluency means you are sourcing proactively before the job is even open, not scrambling after a req drops. * Culture drives productivity. The most credentialed candidate in the room can be your worst hire if they do not fit how the team actually works. Diligence on culture fit is not optional. * HR needs to move from reactive to predictive. Knowing which skills the business will need in three years and building pathways to get there saves money, preserves culture, and makes HR a strategic asset instead of a cost center. * Sit with the CFO. If you want a seat at the table, you have to understand the financial mechanics of the business. The numbers are not someone else's job. * Adaptability is the skill of the moment, and almost no one is assessing it well. The ability to learn, shift, and move forward in ambiguity is as important as any hard skill on a resume. Quote of the Show: * "Culture drives productivity. You can find the best candidates on paper, but if they don't fit the culture, you're wasting your time anyway." - Bruce Nichols Links: * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brucernichols/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brucernichols/] * Website: https://thehrc.com/ [https://thehrc.com/] Ways to Tune In: * Recruiters On The Rise Website: https://recruitersontherise.com/ [https://recruitersontherise.com/]  * Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6j8LK95YtqW7ZMU4kwBNgR [https://open.spotify.com/show/6j8LK95YtqW7ZMU4kwBNgR]  * Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/recruiters-on-the-rise/id1891705495 [https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/recruiters-on-the-rise/id1891705495]   * Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b7f77aa2-de4c-4e5c-b5de-cfe60fe39c77 [https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b7f77aa2-de4c-4e5c-b5de-cfe60fe39c77]  * iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/328811219/ [https://iheart.com/podcast/328811219/]  * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@recruitersontherise [https://www.youtube.com/@recruitersontherise]

The Urgency of Innovation with Jeremy Cockrell

In this episode of Recruiters on the Rise, host Colleen Gallagher sits down with Jeremy Cockrell, Director of Talent Acquisition at Torrent Consulting, a Salesforce implementation partner recently acquired by a global consulting firm. Jeremy shares how he built a hiring machine that moves candidates from the first interview to offer in under two weeks and exactly how he got hiring managers on board to make it happen. He gets into the human centric practices his team swears by, including calling every interviewed candidate personally when delivering a rejection, building a 52 week candidate nurture program, and why he draws a hard line against AI bots for screening. Jeremy brings 14+ years of perspective on what separates good recruiters from truly elite ones.   Takeaways: * Be creative and curious, not just efficient. Tools like LinkedIn Recruiter and AI are useful, but they won't find you quality talent on their own. The best recruiters go off the beaten path to source candidates nobody else is talking to. * Get into the ecosystem, not just the inbox. Attend in person events, engage in community spaces like Trailhead, and have conversations with people you're not actively trying to hire. Your referral pipeline will grow as a direct result. * Call candidates you're rejecting. If someone gave you their time in the interview process, give them two minutes on the phone. It builds goodwill that pays back in future hires and employer brand more than any email ever will. * Speed is a candidate experience issue, not just an ops issue. Time kills deals. If you want to compete for top talent, align your hiring managers and pre-build your interview calendar so there's no lag between rounds. * Build relationships with hiring managers before you need anything from them. In your first month in a new role, get 15 minutes with every manager you can. Once they trust you and you deliver, everything else moves faster. Quote of the Show: * "Being creative and curious to find ways to make it happen is imperative. Not one tool is going to obtain quality talent on its own, especially if you're talking quality over quantity, which is what we should always be talking about." - Jeremy Cockrell Links: * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-cockrell-25153515/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-cockrell-25153515/]  * Website: https://torrentconsulting.com/careers/ [https://torrentconsulting.com/careers/]  Ways to Tune In: * Recruiters On The Rise Website: https://recruitersontherise.com/ [https://recruitersontherise.com/]  * Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6j8LK95YtqW7ZMU4kwBNgR [https://open.spotify.com/show/6j8LK95YtqW7ZMU4kwBNgR]  * Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/recruiters-on-the-rise/id1891705495 [https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/recruiters-on-the-rise/id1891705495]   * Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b7f77aa2-de4c-4e5c-b5de-cfe60fe39c77 [https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b7f77aa2-de4c-4e5c-b5de-cfe60fe39c77]  * iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/328811219/ [https://iheart.com/podcast/328811219/]  * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@recruitersontherise [https://www.youtube.com/@recruitersontherise]

Redefining Recruitment Excellence with Dubi Ben-Shoham

In this episode of Recruiters on the Rise, host Colleen Gallagher sits down with Dubi Ben-Shoham, Senior Director of Global Talent Acquisition at Socotra, who has personally hired nearly every employee at his company, all but three. Dubi shares why he hasn't posted a single job in over two and a half years and why he considers that a feature, not a bug. He breaks down his white glove recruiting philosophy, from prepping candidates before every interview to running recruiting training on day one of onboarding. Dubi also gets into the growing threat of resume fraud, how he thinks about AI in the hiring process, and why building trust with candidates and hiring managers alike is the foundation of everything he does. A candid, practical conversation packed with ideas you can put to work right away. Takeaways: * Know the whole business, not just your requisitions. Dubi attends SKOs, product offsites, and all-hands across departments and credits that immersion as one of the biggest differentiators in his effectiveness as a recruiter. The more you understand the business, the more credible and valuable you become. * White glove service is for everyone, not just executives. Dubi walks every candidate through exactly who they will meet, what to expect, and even personal background on each interviewer. That level of care is rare, and candidates notice immediately. * Stop posting and start sourcing. Fraud, AI generated resumes, and inbound noise convinced Dubi to go fully outbound. His team now sources every hire directly, which frees up time for higher quality conversations and more intentional candidate engagement. * Establish trust early with hiring managers by doing the work first. Dubi drafts job descriptions, builds assessments, and creates interview panels before ever sitting down with a hiring manager. That proactive approach earns credibility fast and makes him indispensable. * AI belongs in the process, with guardrails. Dubi used ChatGPT to build a full rev ops assessment in 15 minutes, complete with sample data. But he requires candidates to present their work, because the ability to reason through it out loud is the real signal. Quote of the Show: "I'm gonna tell you the process, but I just want you to know, it's all downhill after me." -Dubi Ben-Shoham Links: * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dubi-ben-shoham-a9a293/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dubi-ben-shoham-a9a293/] * Website: https://www.socotra.com/ [https://www.socotra.com/] Ways to Tune In: * Recruiters On The Rise Website: https://recruitersontherise.com/ [https://recruitersontherise.com/]  * Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6j8LK95YtqW7ZMU4kwBNgR [https://open.spotify.com/show/6j8LK95YtqW7ZMU4kwBNgR]  * Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/recruiters-on-the-rise/id1891705495 [https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/recruiters-on-the-rise/id1891705495]   * Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b7f77aa2-de4c-4e5c-b5de-cfe60fe39c77 [https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b7f77aa2-de4c-4e5c-b5de-cfe60fe39c77]  * iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/328811219/ [https://iheart.com/podcast/328811219/]  * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@recruitersontherise [https://www.youtube.com/@recruitersontherise]

From Leopards to Leaders with Dennis Ivanov

In this episode of Recruiters on the Rise, host Colleen Gallagher sits down with Dennis Ivanov, Director of Global Talent Acquisition at Unimacts Global and former Amazon recruiting leader. Dennis has made over 400 hires in under three years with almost no dedicated recruiting team, including several C-suite executive searches, at a company that grew from under $100 million to nearly half a billion. Before any of that, he was tracking endangered snow leopards in Siberia for a National Geographic conservation program. He brings the same fearlessness from the field into every boardroom, and this conversation is full of hard-won, practical insight on what it actually looks like to build a recruiting function from scratch with limited resources, big expectations, and a lot of creativity.   Takeaways: ~ Lead with fearlessness. The best recruiters don't wait for permission or comfort. Push past hesitation, speak up with senior leaders, and refuse to settle for "good enough" just because it's easier. ~ Frugality forces creativity. When the budget is tight, look for unconventional solutions first. Printing job ads at bus stops or leaning on state workforce programs can outperform expensive vendors. ~ Build inward before going outward. Post every role internally for a week before hitting the external market. You'll promote hidden talent, boost morale, and cut time-to-fill at the same time. ~ Train your way to scale. If you don't have dedicated recruiters, develop the people you do have. A few months of structured training and shadowing can turn HR generalists into capable recruiting partners. ~ Measure what matters and set a high bar. Don't accept a 70% offer acceptance rate just because it's the industry norm. Commit to aggressive targets around time-to-fill, offer acceptance, and retention, then build the process to hit them.   Quote of the Show: "It's when the deadlines are short and execution is not optional. It has to happen. So that's where the real magic, I believe, happens." - Dennis Ivanov Links: ~ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denisviktorovichivanov ~ Website: https://www.unimacts.com/ Ways to Tune In: ~ Recruiters On The Rise Website: https://recruitersontherise.com/  ~ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6j8LK95YtqW7ZMU4kwBNgR  ~ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/recruiters-on-the-rise/id1891705495   ~ Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b7f77aa2-de4c-4e5c-b5de-cfe60fe39c77  ~ iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/328811219/  ~ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@recruitersontherise

Recruiting Beyond Resumes with James Callender

In this episode of Recruiters on the Rise, host Colleen Gallagher sits down with James Callender, VP of Workforce at EPC and host of the HR View Podcast. James brings a rare blend of experience from manufacturing floors and construction sites to JPMorgan Chase and a conviction that's stuck with him since his first day in HR, if you don't speak the language of business, you can't be a real partner to the people you serve. He shares how radical transparency with candidates leads to longer tenures, why the interview starts the moment someone submits an application, and how he's using AI to drive smarter workforce decisions without losing the human touch. Whether you're recruiting in the field or the C suite, this one hits differently. Takeaways: * Know the business before you know the role. The best recruiters don't just fill seats, they understand how the company makes money, and that clarity helps them identify candidates who can think and operate at that same level. When you truly understand the business, everything else in the recruiting process becomes easier and more intentional. * Transparency isn't just nice, it's a retention strategy. James's first job out of college was the worst he ever had, and it shaped a career long commitment to radical honesty with candidates. Telling people the hard truths upfront, the long hours, the difficult dynamics, the real demands of a role leads to longer tenures and fewer regrets on both sides. * The interview starts before you ever say hello. From the moment a candidate submits an application or walks through the door, they're showing you who they are. James treats every touchpoint as part of the evaluation because once someone gets the job, the interview camera goes off and you see the real person. * AI is a tool, not a replacement for judgment. James is an enthusiastic adopter of AI for report automation, process efficiency, and applicant sorting but he's equally firm that human vetting still matters. Volume without discernment is just noise, and someone has to make sure the technology is working the way it should. * Learning only happens when someone wants it. Whether coaching a candidate, developing a team, or running a training, James believes growth is a two-way street. You can build the best program in the world, but if the person on the other side isn't ready to receive it, the knowledge won't stick and that's okay to acknowledge.  Quote of the Show: * “HR used to be like being sent to the principal's office. That's always been my intent, to change that." — James Callender Links: * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/callenderjames/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/callenderjames/]  * Website: https://weareepc.com/ [https://weareepc.com/] * HRview Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6Q9PpcWJTYq1Ez3hffx6b5HKZiBgwDPk [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6Q9PpcWJTYq1Ez3hffx6b5HKZiBgwDPk]  Ways to Tune In: * Recruiters On The Rise Website: https://recruitersontherise.com/ [https://recruitersontherise.com/]  * Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6j8LK95YtqW7ZMU4kwBNgR [https://open.spotify.com/show/6j8LK95YtqW7ZMU4kwBNgR]  * Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/recruiters-on-the-rise/id1891705495 [https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/recruiters-on-the-rise/id1891705495]   * Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b7f77aa2-de4c-4e5c-b5de-cfe60fe39c77 [https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b7f77aa2-de4c-4e5c-b5de-cfe60fe39c77]  * iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/328811219/ [https://iheart.com/podcast/328811219/]  * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@recruitersontherise [https://www.youtube.com/@recruitersontherise]